My job is to be the key account contact for a large retail customer, in charge of sales, range, execution of innovation and promotions and internal strategy.

What do you actually do on a day-to-day basis?

A typical day involves managing supply, co-ordinating the wider team internally, negotiating with the buyer, presenting on our ambitions for the next 1-12 months to senior management and working with the customer to improve our levels of service.

What are the main positives and negatives to your job?

Positives: Ability to drive your own agenda.
Working with fantastic associates to face into challenges.
Building a relationship with my buyer.
Opportunity to look through a more strategic lens.
Company Car.. Negatives: Must be good at coping with last minute challenges, think quickly on your feet.
Resilience is required to maintain a good work/life balance.
Requires a fair amount of travelling which can be lonely..

What qualifications and skills are needed to be great at this job?

No particular degree is required for this role, but it is important to have a number of key skills:
- Interpersonal skills - the ability to build relationships with lots of different types of people
- Negotiation skills - Lots of this you will learn on the job and through training courses, but it's important to have a basic level of competence and a desire to get a good deal that's also mutual for both parties.
- Inner Drive - The agenda is driven primarily by you, so you need to be self-motivated.
- Organisation and planning - there are always unforeseen challenges, but you need to be as proactive as possible to ensure that you minimise these.

What advice would you give to candidates applying for a similar role at this company

The interview process is rigorous so I'd have a long think about your strengths and weaknesses and some of your key learning experiences to date (demonstrating team work, leadership, dealing with adversity etc), as well as some key skills you've learnt from others. On the day, just relax and be yourself! (Cheesy but true)

You also have to do some numerical tests when you apply, so I'd recommend picking up a practice book to brush up your skills before the tests.

What are the best and worst things about your job?Best: Fantastic opportunities for development to understand what kind of manager you want to be and the challenges to get you to develop those key skills

Working on top of a Chocolate factory (it smells good)

Fantastic brands that we love as much as our consumers do

Great benefits packageWorst: Slough is an easy commute but the trading estate itself lacks a local pub/cafe to meet associates after work.

How could the job and company be improved?

Improved technical support systems (currently being worked on)

What hours do you actually work, on average?8amto 6pm.

With the benefit of hindsight, would you choose to do this job again?

Definitely

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